False bottom for straining vats

ABSTRACT

Straining vats are provided with so-called false bottoms. These false bottoms have slots. The function of a straining vat is to separate in the beer manufacture the mash into wort and draff. The wort is to pass through the slots, whereas the draff is to be retained by the false bottom.

[ June 12, 1973 nited States Patent 1 Lenz 298,172 5/1884 Cave 210/498 1,168,532 1/1916 210/499 3,360,911 1/1968 Sweeney............................. 209/393 S2 e w m mm [my N l A m Rn wa Rmm mLHm m Mm mww mcoo r Em n W Fm. MN 57 '1 d: l 15 1971 [22] Fl 8 y Primary Examiner-Charles N. Hart {21] Appl. No.: 162,801 Attorney-Kelman & Berman [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ABSTRACT Straining vats are provided with so-called false bottoms. These false bottoms have slots. The function of a straining vat is to separate in the beer manufacture the mash into wort and draff. The wort is to pass through the slots, whereas the draff is to be retained by the false bottom.

July 20, 1970 Germany................... P 20 35 954.0

[52] US. 210/488, 210/497 [51] Int. B0ld 25/12 [58] Field of Search........... 210/483, 495, 497-499,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,288,883 7/1942 210/499 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Ni s PATENTEDJUN 1 2191s FALSE BOTTOM FOR STRAINING VATS The false bottoms of known straining vats which are in most cases of circular cross-section are composed of sectors which are made of bronze plates or of rustproof sheet steel. The slots are milled into these sectors, the longitudinal axis of the slots being parallel to a radial line of the sectors. Due to the relatively larger radial extension of the sectors, if compared with the circumferential extension, it is not possible to allow the slots to extend tangentially with respect to the circumferential line of the sections, because this would require too expensive milling tools. The milling of the slots by means of side-milling cutters leads necessarily to chamfered ends of the slots. This means that spaces must be left between the subsequent slots so as to take into consideration said chamfering. Consequently, only a smaller amount of slots can be cut into a predetermined face than would be possible if the slots had straight end faces normal to the general planeof the false bottom.

It is the object of this invention to provide a false bottom for straining vats, wherein the slots can easily be made without the known restrictions regarding direction of the slots and total length of slots per face.

With this object and others in view, as will hereinafter become apparent, the invention provides slots defined by a plurality of profile rods being in parallelism and spaced from each other and being connected by bridging parts.

Other features and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will readily become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a false bottom of a straining vat according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line IIII of FIG. 1.

The false bottom illustrated in FIG. 1 consists of a plurality of sectors 10. These sectors are supported at their apexes and at their radially outer ends by the body of the cylindrical straining vat 8. Each of the sectors consists of a plurality of spacedly parallel rods 12 connected to each other by radially elongated bridging members 14 in such a manner that the rods of each sector are elongated substantially at right angles to a radius drawn through the upright axis of the vat 8 and the longitudinal center point of each rod in the sector.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the profile rods 12 and of their connection by the bridging members 14. Each rod has a flat bottom face 18, an upper horizontal face 20 and two longitudinal sides 22 downwardly converging at an angle of 15 to 30, and preferably 20 to 25. The height of each rod between its upper face and bottom face is 3 to 7 mm, and preferably 4 to 6 mm.

The rods 12 are secured to the bridging members 14 by welds 24.

What is claimed is:

1. In a false bottom for a straining vat having an upright axis, said bottom being transverse to said axis and formed with a plurality of slots therethrough, the improvement which comprises:

a. said false bottom including a plurality of sectors converging toward said axis,

b. each sector essentially consisting of a plurality of spacedly parallel rods and bridging members connecting said rods,

1. said rods being elongated substantially at right angles to a line drawn through said axis and the longitudinal center point of each of said rods, and

2. said bridging members being elongated transversely to said rods and secured to the same, and

c. each pair of radially adjacent rods defining one of said slots therebetween.

2. In a false bottom as set forth in claim 1, each rod having a top face and two longitudinal side faces converging downwardly from said top face at an angle of 15 to 30, the height of said rod being approximately 3 to 7 millimeters.

3. In a false bottom as set forth in claim 2, said rods and said bridging members being metallic and secured to each other by welds.

4. In a false bottom as set forth in claim 3, said rods and bridging members consisting of stainless steel. 

1. In a false bottom for a straining vat having an upright axis, said bottom being transverse to said axis and formed with a plurality of slots therethrough, the improvement which comprises: A. SAID FALSE BOTTOM INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SECTORS CONVERGING TOWARD SAID AXIS, B. EACH SECTOR ESSENTIALLY CONSISTING OF A PLURALITY OF SPACEDLY PARALLEL RODS AND BRIDGING MEMBERS CONNECTING SAID RODS,
 1. SAID RODS BEING ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO A LINE DRAWN THROUGH SAID AXIS AND THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER POINT OF EACH OF SAID RODS, AND
 2. SAID BRIDGING MEMBERS BEING ELONGATED TRANSVERSELY TO SAID RODS AND SECURED TO THE SAME, AND C. EACH PAIR OF RADIALLY ADJACENT RODS DEFINING ONE OF SAID SLOTS THEREBETWEEN.
 2. SAID BRIDGING MEMBERS BEING ELONGATED TRANSVERSELY TO SAID RODS AND SECURED TO THE SAME, AND C. EACH PAIR OF RADIALLY ADJACENT RODS DEFINING ONE OF SAID SLOTS THEREBETWEEN.
 2. In a false bottom as set forth in claim 1, each rod having a top face and two longitudinal side faces converging downwardly from said top face at an angle of 15* to 30*, the height of said rod being approximately 3 to 7 millimeters.
 3. In a false bottom as set forth in claim 2, said rods and said bridging members being metallic and secured to each other by welds.
 4. In a false bottom as set forth in claim 3, said rods and bridging members consisting of stainless steel. 